As the world gathers in Paris to discuss climate change, the reverberations of recent terrorist attacks are hard to ignore. In the aftermath of ISIS’s massacre of more than 130 people on November 13, French authorities have put restrictions in place to clamp down on public demonstrations. In Paris, over 200 activists were arrested after fighting with police at a street leading to the Place de la Republique. Outside of these arrests, protests have been peaceful. Restricted from mass demonstrations because of security concerns, climate change activists placed more than 20,000 pairs of shoes at Place de la Republique as a silent protest.
Around 150 world leaders are due to attend the Paris talks from November 30 through December 11, including President Barack Obama, China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Their job is to forge an accord that could work to avert the most devastating effects of climate change and potentially redefine the economy of the 21st century. According to CBS News, the summit hopes to get world leaders to “agree to deep emissions cuts and to help poor countries cope with global warming.” Failure in Paris could lead to worsening droughts, rising sea tides, food shortages, and other catastrophic events.
Over the weekend, more than 570,000 people gathered worldwide to pressure world leaders to make substantial gains toward protecting the planet. In Paris, its most iconic landmark, the Eiffel Tower, played host to projected images calling for a shift to 100 percent renewable energy and the protection of the world’s forests. The installation’s creator, Naziha Mestaoui, said, “I created this installation so that people everywhere can realize what is possible if we come together. We can protect and regrow our forests, we can tap the natural powers of the sun, the wind, the earth, and the sea, and we can build a safer future if we go 100 percent clean energy for everyone.”
Ketel Marte was brought to tears during an MLB game after facing a shameful fan taunt.
Baseball manager's poignant support for a player brought to tears after shameful fan taunt
Whether they’re expecting perfection from their favorite players or, worse, behaving callously toward opposing teams, sports fans often forget that athletes are human beings. But athletic competition has the ability to unify and uplift, even amid such painful and unpleasant encounters. Take, for example, a major-league baseball game held June 24, 2025 between the home team Chicago White Sox and visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.
A shameful low point occurred when Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte was at bat in the seventh inning. Per ESPN, a fan reportedly yelled out a comment regarding Marte’s late mother, Elpidia Valdez, who died in a 2017 car accident in the Dominican Republic. Team personnel, including manager Torey Lovullo, then requested the 22-year-old fan be ejected. (Though he was remorseful and admitted his actions were inappropriate, according to an ESPN source, he was nonetheless banned indefinitely from all MLB ballparks.) "We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan," the MLB said in a statement. Marte reportedly declined to comment.
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While the fan’s behavior is inexcusable, it did spark a powerful and inspiring moment. After hearing the comment, Marte was visibly upset, prompting Lovullo to walk on the field, put his arm around him, and offer some words of encouragement. "[I said,] 'I love you, and I’m with you, and we’re all together, and you’re not alone,'" Lovullo said in a post-game interview, as documented by The Rich Eisen Show. "'No matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you’re heard, that guy is an idiot.’"
According to Arizona Republic, Lovullo heard the fan’s comment but didn’t want to repeat it. “I looked right at [Marte] when I heard,” he said. “I looked right at him, and he looked at the person, as well. He put his head down and I could tell it had an immediate impact on him, for sure."
Elsewhere in the post-game interview, the manager called the moment "terrible" and reflected on why he stood up for Marte. "Fans are nasty, and fans go too far sometimes," he said. "I love my players, and I’m gonna protect them…I’ve known Ketel for nine years. He’s had some unbelievably great moments and some hardships as well and some really tough moments in his life. I know those. At the end of the day, we’re human beings, and we have emotions. I saw him hurting, and I wanted to protect him."
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The following day, the Chicago White Sox X account sent out a message in support of Marte, writing, "We’re with you" and "Baseball is family." On The Rich Eisen Show, the show's host addressed the need to eradicate this kind of toxic athlete-fan interaction: "I was hearing [people saying], 'There’s no place for this in major league baseball.' There isn’t. There’s no place for this in our society. I understand that people are saying the MLB has got to do something about this. Fans have a right to heckle players—this is something that has happened forever…But there is a line."
In another recent, depressing sports moment with a beautiful coda, let’s look to Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the first quarter, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon—a devastating injury that could potentially sideline him for most of the 2025-2026 season. Following the game, in a lovely display of sportsmanship, Thunder point-guard and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the Pacers locker room to check on his competitor. In a press conference, he said, "You just hate to see it, in sports in general. But in this moment, my heart dropped for him. I can't imagine playing the biggest game of my life and something like that happening. It’s so unfortunate."
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